2 - 5 Jan 08
www.zuerich.comCool Lakeside City - birth place of dada and home to Yello!
After a great flight to Zurich from London city airport we caught the train into Hauptbahnhof. Located just north of the city, this is Zurich's central train station and home to a very well stocked tourist information centre. A quick amble to the hotel, unpack, check guidebook, put on a few more layers - and we are ready to hit the Streets. Zurich is just the right size to explore on foot. It is spotlessly clean and boasts many great bars, Restaurants and some really interesting shops! Here are some of our high-lights:
Cabaret voltaire In 1916, from this house at Spiegelgasse 1, Dada started its journey into the world - launching an international cultural revolution. Fronted by Hugo Ball and Emmy Hennings, this movement was to spread to Berlin, Paris and even across the Atlantic to New York. This site now houses a cafe/bar and is a popular meeting place, well worth a visit!
kunsthaus Zurich Home to one of Switzerland's most important Art collections and containing works from Medieval sculptures to fine examples of Swiss 19th-20th Century contemporary art. Also home to Major works by Alberto Giacometti and the largest collection of Munch outside Norway. Do look out for Rodin's breathtaking 'Gates of hell', positioned just outside of main entrance! Great Gallery, really well layed out and very spacious! fab coffee lounge too!
Fraumunster Church beautiful church dating from 853. Home to a spectacular set of five stained glass windows designed by Marc Chagall during his 80th year.
Grossmunster Cathedral Spectacular Gothic Cathedral facing the smaller Fraumunster Church on opposite bank. Well worth a visit and do take time to scale the stairs to enjoy wonderful views across Zurich, the lake and mountains beyond.
Ojo de agua A fine Deli and Restaurant owned by Dieter Meier, creative genius behind the Swiss electronic noise machine that is Yello. Located at Oettenbachgasse 13, just off the main shopping drag. Great wines and organic meat from Dieter's Argentinian Ranch can be sampled and purchased here, oh yeeaahh!
Cafe Odeon The Cafe-Bar Odeon at Limmatquai 2 boasts a long and illustrious list of past regulars: Benito Mussolini (during his anarchist days), James Joyce, Albert Einstein and Lenin. This beautiful bar is deliciously over the top with it's Art Nouveau glamour, chandeliers, red leather banquettes and marble walls. Very good selection of local beers too!
Lucerne A one hour train journey, south west of Zurich, is the City of Lucerne. Major sights include: The impressive 14th Century Chapel Bridge, a 204m wooden construction straddling the Reuss river. Look out for the 17th Century paintings that adorn the underside of roof construction! Also Bertel Thorvaldsen's wonderfully emotive carving of a dying lion 'the Lion Monument', or Löwendenkmal' (shown above), can be found in a small park just off Lowenplatz. The carving commemorates the hundreds of Swiss Guards who were massacred in 1792 during the French Revolution.
L'Ange by Niki de Saint Phalle, suspended from the ceiling of Zurich's central train station.
9 out of 10
